


Among Us

by alifletcher2010



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Characters Playing Among Us (Video Game), Crack Treated Seriously, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Meet-Cute, One Shot, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27356170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alifletcher2010/pseuds/alifletcher2010
Summary: Rowaelin meet cute involving Among Us
Relationships: Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Rowan Whitethorn
Comments: 3
Kudos: 60





	Among Us

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to that one brown who was my teammate that rage quit because I killed them three times in a row because I kept getting imposter. Sorry bruh.
> 
> Also, I still havent worked out how to change font colors here so I just labeled the in the chat as their color. its not like super imperative to the story tho.
> 
> CW: references to pandemic, also may not make a lot of sense if you havent heard of Among US....

**Aelin:** play 2nite?

**Aedion** : No. I have to work a late shift

**Aelin** : ur lame

**Aedion:** And you type like a two year old

**Aelin:** a v smart 2yo. also, ur lame. again. it needed 2b repeated.

**Aedion** : Not all of us can work from home Ace.

**Aelin** : ya ya. go save lives u goof

Aelin sighed and rolled over in her bed. Not only had she put in a full day of work today but she had also scrubbed her toilet, finished a book, and had thrown away some very questionable things from her fridge. 

Aelin was bored.

Yeah, she knew she was lucky. And she was grateful for it, she really was. This pandemic had not had the negative affects on her life she knew other people were having to deal with. Other than when she had depositions, she could do most of her work from the comfort of her couch (and even most of those she could do over Zoom). And that she still had a job was obviously lucky too. It was just...she was desperate for human interaction. It had been months that she had been cooped up, alone, in her apartment. The world had gone down the toilet and the government was a wreck and she just wanted to talk to someone face to face. And get a hug for the first time in months. And not have to talk to herself out loud just to break the silence of her apartment.

She thrived on human interaction. And without it, she was going a little nuts.

In fact, her desperation for any kind of socializing had gotten so out of hand she had even considered redownloading Tinder. 

Tinder. Yes, Tinder.

She was that desperate.

Ok, so she wasn’t totally deprived like she had been in March. She could occasionally see her friends now. They met safely whenever restrictions were lightened, but their area was having another spike, so they had been closed down again. Technology had brought her and her friends together in the small ways it could. FaceTime, Zoom games, what have you...though it was no substitute for the real thing.

They were hooked on a funny little space themed mafia style game app that they could play remotely. Aelin could count on one hand the number of times she had played with Lys, Aedion, Elide, Nehemia, and Elide’s boyfriend Lorcan and not perfectly deduced the imposters. She liked to think it was her lawyerly prowess (not that patent law involved that much prowess). Of course, she could also count on one hand the number of times she had won as an imposter because she had absolutely zero chill, something that she was stubbornly determined to fix.

Suffice it to say, Aelin was hooked on the stupid game.

Unfortunately, everyone in their normal group was occupied that evening. Even Lorcan, who was her least favorite person to play with, but even he was better than playing purely with randoms.

Aelin hated playing with randoms. It wasn’t that bad, really, it just bugged her. They attacked each other for no reason, used absolutely zero strategy, voted solely on whim, and booted people just for kicks and giggles. Or on the flip side, no one worked together and or talked and it was more like every man for himself. 

Tonight though, it seemed she had no other choice. It was either randoms or scrolling through Netflix aimlessly. She went with the randoms.

After an hour she was seriously regretting it. One group the imposter bailed because they didn’t want to be the imposter, one was just stupid spam, she had gotten locked in electrical twice, and the overall general squabbling was starting to drive her nuts. The game had glitched a few times too. Add in that she had yet to truly win...Aelin was over it.

_One more game, one more game_ , she told herself. If she didn’t get anyone good to play with, she was done.

She hosted a new game, since she had grown very accustomed to how she like her game set up, switched the map to one of the others since it got more discerning players, and waited for the lobby to fill up. As players joined, at chat notification popped up and for the first time that night, Aelin felt like she had finally found someone she could play with well.

(lime green)Buzzard1138: Teams? Travel in groups if you can  
(cyan)FishyStix: lime sus  
(red)fireheart: don’t b a dick cyan  
(pink)EricLoisSux: change the speed pls  
(purple)gabbygab: traveling in groups is dumb. makes it hard. don’t do it  
(black) **tk421** : start pls  
(orange)TRUMP2020: startttttttt

TRUMP2020 has been booted by fireheart

Buzzard1138: oh thank gods  
fireheart: np. Team?  
Buzzard1138: yeah

They chatted for a few minutes until the lobby filled and then they were deposited in the map. Aelin stuck with green as they made their way around the map. The imposters whittled down the players until there were just five left. Aelin knawed at her fingernails as she went over what they knew. It had been awhile since she had been able to play a game this intense and it was exactly the thrilled she needed. In a few minutes they were able to successfully find both imposters. Finally, she’d won. And found someone decent to play with.

She tapped the play again button and prayed the same player would be in the lobby. Sure enough they were there. Since they were the only two in the lobby, she tapped the private button for a second.

fireheart: u r good  
Buzzard1138: you too  
fireheart: wanna play a few rounds 2gether  
Buzzard1138: yeah

Aelin made the game public again and they waited for the dropship to fill again. What followed was everything Aelin loved about the game. A few hours of actual collaboration and strategy and nail bitingly close games. She and dark green made a pretty good team, so much so she was debating sharing her discord with them so they could meet up to play again.

And then her luck ran out.

She was the imposter.

_Shit._

The round started and Aelin could feel herself losing already. How the heck was she going to kill them when they were a team? And if she killed them right off, she’d feel really guilty.

Instead Aelin ran around like crazy, hoping to loose them somewhere. Maybe even get them locked in electrical. But no matter what she did, they stuck with her. Getting desperate she ran ahead and killed off pink. Buzzard wasn’t far behind, and she was so sure they were going to figure it out. They may as well just report and get the round over with.

Except they didn’t. And when she moved on from the body they followed like normal.

She ran around, just wait for the meeting to be called. But it didn’t. And then when she came across orange in the O2 and decided to kill them just to see what happened, Buzzard still didn’t report.

Then she vented right in front of them.

Nothing.

One of the bodies was reported. After the typical “where”s and question marks players started throwing names around, including hers. Aelin knew it was just a matter of time.

But no

Buzzard1138: no it wasn’t red. they were with me

_What?!_

Eventually the group voted cyan and they were ejected. After that Aelin was able to get in a few more kills and sabotage the ship. Buzzard stuck with her and didn’t run to fix the reactor, resulting in her win.

She’d won. As imposter. Except instead of being elated she was just really confused. She hit play again and sure enough, Buzzard was in the lobby again. She quickly switched the game to private and kicked out the other players.

fireheart: y did you do that  
Buzzard1138: because we’re a team  
fireheart: oh  
Buzzard1138: plus they were an obnoxious group. it was more fun to watch you to kill them and win  
fireheart: haha thanx

Aelin knew it was crazy. But having someone outside of her friends to play with might be nice….

fireheart: r U on among us discord srvr?  
Buzzard1138: yeah  
fireheart: want 2 meet up there? we can play keep playing together   
Buzzard1138: yeah

Just as Aelin was typing her username the game glitched and she was disconnected from the server.

Utterly shocked, Aelin just sat there and stared at her phone, betrayed by the stupid piece of technology. This couldn’t be happening! She had found the perfect teammate and then it glitched! Frantically she logged back on and scrolled through games, hoping to find one with them in it. When she couldn’t find them, she tried discord. But nothing.

Aelin signed and tossed her phone to her bed stand. It wasn’t a big deal. It really wasn’t. At least that’s what she told herself.

But after this hellish year, it was just really nice to find some connection. Even if it was fleeting.

-

“Did you see the news,” Aedion asked.

“Mm-hmm,” Aelin hummed as she puttered about her kitchen with her phone cradled on one side as she tried to scrounge up some food.

“Small gatherings are ok again. I’m thinking game night? My place. You can finally meet my new roommate.”

Aelin sighed and adjusted the phone. “I dunno Dion. I haven’t been feeling the game as much.”

It was true. Ever since a week ago with her missed connection, Aelin was just feeling bleh. About the game, about the year...everything. And maybe it really had nothing to do with the game and everything to do with not being able to be with her family and friends for months on end, cooped up alone in her little apartment. The game thing...it was just like the final straw, she supposed.

“A. I know that tone. You need to get out. I’ve only seen you a handful of times since March.” Even through the phone speaker Aelin could tell Aedion was not going to let this rest.

“Okkkkkay. Fine. I’ll be there. But make sure Lorcan behaves.”

“Yeah, yeah. See you Friday.”

Which was how, a few days later, Aelin found herself cozied up on Aedion’s couch, waiting for everyone to arrive. Lorcan and Elide were already there, being disgusting on the armchair together, Nehemia and Lys were chatting in the kitchen while Aedion poured drinks. It felt good to be with her people again. They were just waiting for Aedion’s roommate to arrive with his friends and then they could get started.

Just as she was starting to get anxious to get playing, the door finally opened and in walked three very,very handsome men. Aelin was suddenly extremely grateful that she had actually put on something nicer than her sweats. Two of them were very obviously twins, but the third, who could only be Aedion’s roommate, made her breath catch with his tattooed arms, silvery hair, and deep green eyes.

The twins, who introduced themselves as Fenrys and Connall, were outgoing and flirtatious, and were instantly at home in their group. Aedion’s roommate though, Rowan, Aelin couldn’t help but notice was more solem, just nodding as introductions were made.

After some talk and getting to know each other and establishing some rules and only a little squabbling about who got to be what color, they finally settled in to play. Aelin couldn’t help but notice that Rowan hadn’t said anything nearly the entire time. Not that she was watching him or anything like that. Not that she was so distracted by the shape of his arms that she almost didn’t notice who had signed into the lobby.

Buzzard1138

“Wait! Who’s is who?” Aelin asked, her heart beating rapidly.

“Oh right, do we need to change our names or just tell each other?” Aedion asked. “I forgot not everyone has played in the group before.”

“Just tell.” Lorcan grumbled out, obviously impatient to start.

They quickly went around. Aelin could hardly breathe.

“I’m Buzzard,” said Rowan, his voice deep and thrilling.

Aelin met his eyes, “I’m fireheart.”

Rowan grinned for the first time that night. _Found you._

Aelin smiled back. _Found you too._

-

“Galathynius! I am going to murder you!”

Aelin cackled at Lorcan as she won her third round as the imposter.

“Sorry Lorcy dear. You know you love me.”

Lorcan huffed. “No. I tolerate you. And since when did you get good?” He turned to Rowan who gave Lorcan the biggest shiteating grin. “And you! Why are you helping her? And how the hell are you guys communicating?!”

Aelin and Rowan just shrugged simultaneously eliciting another round of laughter.

The night had gone better than Aelin had even imagined. She and Rowan had dominated. Of course the group had eventually figured out their partnership, but they still managed to win nearly every game together.

“Well. It’s later. Rather early. And I have to drive home. So I guess you’ll have to wait till next time to enact my murder Salvaterre.”

Lorcan just rolled his eyes at her and nudged a very nearly asleep Elide awake. Aelin gathered her stuff as the party broke up and everyone began saying their goodbyes.

Aelin felt a presence at her side and didn’t even have to look up to know it was Rowan.

“Can I walk you to your car?” he asked gently, taking her hand in his. Aelin smiled up at him and nodded and they quickly slipped outside. Even once they were outside, he still kept his fingers intertwined with hers.

“Sooo…” he said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t think I’d find you again. And seeing as we make a pretty good team...well, I was thinking maybe instead of your discord, I could get your number? Maybe we could meet for a nice socially distanced coffee?”

Aelin stood up on her tippy toes and pressed a barely there kiss to his cheek. “Make it dinner and we have a deal.”

His shocked look and red cheeks kept her smiling for the whole next week.

**Author's Note:**

> If you ever find a tk421 on Among Us, it me. 😂


End file.
